Rangers fans may still be concerned about what the impact of last weekend's defeat to Hearts might have on their title hopes, but manager Walter Smith hopes the events at Tynecastle prove a blessing in disguise.

Rangers had been coasting along nicely, picking up maximum points from every Scottish Premier League match along the way, when they came unstuck in spectacular fashion a week ago.

The 4-2 reverse to Hearts flattered Smith's men and perhaps provided the jolt they needed before facing Stuttgart in the Champions League four days later. Having come from behind to beat the Bundesliga champions 2-1, Rangers can turn their attention back to the league with the visit of Aberdeen to Ibrox today.

During his first spell in charge of Rangers, Smith used to say one defeat a quarter was allowed. Now he admits one defeat a season could prove costly - but he hopes that will not be the case this term as Rangers attempt to wrest the title back from Celtic.

'Quite a number of the teams are stronger this season than they were last season,' he said. 'I think it will be a more difficult campaign.

'When I said that, that was the environment we were in then. But, during that period of time, Tommy Burns went one season losing only one game and still didn't win the league.

'All we've got to do is get our level of concentration back after a slipshod performance last week at Tynecastle. If that gives us a wake-up call in the league championship, it will have been worth it.'

Rangers were given plenty of praise for their victory over Stuttgart but Smith believes the massive efforts required from his players every week to keep them in contention for the championship sometimes goes unnoticed.

'For us it's a big change,' he said. 'If we play a normal league game and win it, then people dismiss the effort that is required to win a game in Scotland. But Scotland is a tough place to work. It's not easy playing teams four times in a season.

'So when you go to the Champions League, where the expectations are a bit more realistic, there is a sense of achievement when we win a game.'

Meanwhile, Smith believes Jean-Claude Darcheville - who scored the winner against Stuttgart from the penalty spot - is gradually filling the void left by former striker Dado Prso in more ways than one.

'Darcheville is a good character with a good personality,' said the Rangers manager. 'He hasn't taken any time to settle and he got right into it right away.

'Every team has a few characters and it is not easy for foreigners to do that but he has done.

'He is an experienced boy and he also wants to win. That's an important factor. He has a good edge to him.

'He's not a shy character but neither was Dado,' Smith added. 'It was a pity he had a slow start to the season because of his Achilles injury but he is now picking up a bit.'

One point ahead of Rangers in the table, Celtic travel to Hibernian today with striker Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink agreeing with manager Gordon Strachan's verdict that he has plenty more to offer this season.

He has five goals already this season and responding to comments from Strachan last week, claiming he felt Vennegoor of Hesselink still had another 20 per cent to give, the Dutchman said: 'Of course, you always want to do better and I am no different. I want to score goals and I want to help my team. I feel good, I feel fit. I've trained every day and my fitness levels are good. In that way things are going well.

'I never set myself targets, finishing top of the scoring charts is not a key goal. You have strikers who only live for goals and while I love to score I am not necessarily like that.

'I like to bring other people into the game,' Vennegoor of Hesselink added. 'My priority is to flick balls on and hold it up when I can. But above all else I like to play good football and at Celtic I have this chance.'

Vennegoor of Hesselink is currently enjoying a profitable strike partnership with Scott McDonald, the diminutive Australian who arrived from Motherwell in the summer.

'In my career I've always played with a small striker spinning off me,' he said. 'I need a striker that's quick and who wants to spin around me. It's a positive way to play and that's what I know. It's a good partnership.

'At PSV I played alongside [Mateja] Kezman and he scored a lot of goals because of how we linked up. I hope it's the same with Scott at Celtic this season. Scott is doing well but all of the guys who came in during the summer have made a contribution to the team.'

Last weekend's 5-0 thrashing of Inverness Caledonian Thistle allowed Celtic to replace Rangers at the top of the league for the first time this season and Vennegoor of Hesselink insists he is relishing the challenge from their Old Firm rivals this term.

'We have a lot of big games but so too have Rangers,' he said. 'We came back from Spartak with a big win against St Mirren and I hope we can do the same against Hibs on Sunday.

'These are difficult games because you give a lot in the European matches. But we want to win the league again and these are the matches you need to win.

'Rangers are doing well again so it's a big test for us this season. But these are the challenges I like.'